Inspired by the annual March Madness college basketball tournament, the inaugural Bean Madness tournament has pit 64 New Orleans establishments against one another in search of the city’s best restaurant-cooked red beans. After three rounds, the battle is now down to eight competitors, which the organizers have affectionately dubbed the “Great Pl8.”

These eight restaurant include Avery’s on Tulane, Cake Cafe, Coquette, Cornet, Evangeline, Frady’s, Joey K’s, and Neyow’s. All of them were selected by the only judges who matter: the people of New Orleans. Over the course the past few weeks, locals have voted for their favorites during a series of blind taste tests and even filled out prediction brackets to try their luck at calling the results.

The fourth round of head-to-head match ups will take place at pop-ups across the city on Monday, March 27. The locations can be found below.

As previously reported, Bean Madness is put on the organizers of the Red Beans Parade and is a fundraiser for local non-profits Anna’s Place and Make Music NOLA. The championship taste test will be held at the Southern Food & Beverage Museum on the afternoon of Saturday, April 2. Tickets for that final battle are now on sale.

The Great Pl8

Dryades Market , 12 – 2 pm

Neyow’s vs. Averys

 

Dirty Coast (French Quarter), 12 – 2 pm

Evangeline vs. Cornet

 

Treme Coffee Shop, 1 – 3pm

Joey k’s vs. Coquette

 

Dryades Market, 5 – 7pm

Cake Café vs. Frady’s